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Kendall Science Fellows Program

The Kendall Science Fellows Program was established in 2008 to honor Nobel Prize winning physicist Henry Kendall, co-founder of UCS and long-time chair of our board. Kendall was known for his unique ability to shake up the status quo and catalyze new thinking, and UCS looks to Kendall Fellows to do the same.

Fellows work on policy-relevant research and priority is given to scientists working on innovative and forward-looking projects that are primarily scientific, technical, or analytic in nature. Approximately every two years, UCS will announce a competition for fellowships (up to two years in length) in one to two areas identified by UCS and approved by the Kendall Science Fellowship Advisory Committee.

Meet Our Current Kendall Fellows

Dr. Juan Declet-Barreto, Kendall Science Fellow in Climate & Energy and the Center for Science and Democracy, joined UCS in January 2016. He partners with environmental justice groups and activists to research the potential effects of carbon trading on disadvantaged communities, as individual states begin implementation of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. John Rogers and Dr. Andrew Rosenberg supervise and mentor Dr. Declet-Barreto jointly. See Dr. Declet-Barreto’s bio.

Dr. Andrea Basche, Kendall Science Fellow in Food & Environment, joined UCS in September 2015. Her research focuses on the potential for agroecological farming systems to reduce the risk and costs of increasing drought. In addition to her work on the benefits of ecologically-based farm practices, she helps further UCS research into the links between agriculture and climate. Ricardo Salvador, Director of the Food & Environment program, is her supervisor. See Dr. Basche’s bio.

Previous Kendall Fellows

Regina R. Clewlow, Kendall Science Fellow in Clean Vehicles, worked with UCS’s Clean Vehicles Program from spring 2012 through summer 2012. Her work examined demand for high-speed rail and air transportation systems, their environmental impacts, and their performance under climate policies.

Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, Kendall Science Fellow in Climate Change and Public Health, worked with UCS’s Climate and Energy Program from August 2011 - August 2013. She worked on the public health impacts and costs of extreme heat in several US cities to inform future adaptation plans in a changing climate.

Dr. Jeremy Richardson, Kendall Science Fellow in Clean Energy Innovation, worked with UCS from January 2012 through August 2013. He worked on the fundamental cultural and economic drivers of coal production in West Virginia. He is currently a senior energy analyst in the UCS Climate and Energy Program. See Dr. Richardson's bio.

Dr. Jimmy Nelson, Kendall Science Fellow in Climate and Energy, worked with UCS in our California office through November 2014. He explored scenarios for the electric power system of California and western North America that would increase the amount of clean energy deployed in the region while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy system.

Dr. Roberto Mera, Kendall Science Fellow on Climate Attribution, worked with UCS from July 2013 through September 2015. His work focused on analyzing specific carbon emissions to determine how they are affecting global temperatures and extreme heat events.

Dr. Rachael Nealer, Kendall Science Fellow in Clean Vehicles, worked with UCS from 2013 through November 2015. Her research focused on the lifecycle environmental impacts of advanced vehicles, specifically hybrid-electric, plug-in electric, and fuel cell vehicles.

Dr. Peter O'Connor, Kendall Science Fellow on Renewable Electricity Generation and Electric Vehicles, worked with UCS UCS from May 2015 through May 2017. His reasearch focused on how to guide the strategic charging of electric vehicles so as to facilitate the integration of high levels of solar photovoltaic electric power generation on the US electricity grid. He is currently an analyst in the UCS Climate and Energy Program. See Dr. O'Connor's full bio.

About UCS: Founded in 1969, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is an independent, science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and safer world. For more about our work on climate and energy. Learn more about the Union of Concerned Scientists.

About the Kendall Science Fellows Program: The program is being established to honor Nobel Prize winning physicist Henry Kendall who was with UCS from our beginnings and was the long-time chair of our board. Kendall was known for his unique ability to shake up the status quo and catalyze new thinking, and UCS looks to Kendall Fellows to do the same.

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